West Bank Violence Escalates: US Envoy Labels Settler Attack 'Terror,' Netanyahu Questions Accounts

Recent events in the West Bank have drawn sharp condemnation from international officials, with the U.S. ambassador to Israel denouncing a settler attack on a photojournalist as a "despicable act of terror." The journalist, Heidi Levine, was reportedly beaten by masked Israeli settlers while documenting Palestinian olive harvests. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called for the perpetrators' arrest and prosecution.

Adding to the tension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cast doubt on accounts of extremist attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly during the olive harvest season. This stance has been met with criticism, especially as a Guardian reporter filmed militants moments before an attack on a European delegation, including a French mayor. Meanwhile, a separate inquiry into a Sydney protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit has found "limited evidence of physical violence on the part of the protesters," suggesting they were "largely peaceful."